Girls’ Generation – Oh! – The Second Album (2010)

Girls’ Generation, otherwise known as SNSD, were on a path to K-Pop domination and heading into international breakthrough as a group of nine Asian ladies (at the time) who could sing, dance and dress nicely. This is one of their better albums, so let’s take a look at the music here and see how it sounds.

We kick off with Oh! with its electronic melodies and excellent singing. It goes into a straightforward K-Pop piece with singing in multiple languages, and is very catchy, beautifully delivered and very colourful musically. A great song, even if you are not into K-Pop per se, this is a Pop gem with some great singing and an upbeat EDM sound. Very catchy, and memorable listening. No doubt a great postmodern K-Pop piece, brilliant from start to finish. Nice tune.

Next is Show! Show! Show! which has more rather bright and colourful beats and textures, before launching into a K-Pop monster. The singing here is really impressive as well, and this music is really quite good and interesting, although for some this may be throwaway. It’s honestly not, but is a wonderful piece of music which kick started the 2010s. This is lively, energetic and brilliant, and still sounds fresh and amazing today. Some lyrics from mixed languages, namely English and Korean, are here as well.

Sweet Talking Baby is next, beginning with an unusual set of string and traditional string plucked melodies, before going into a rather more emotional piece that sounds excellent. It is more a ballad style piece, with a K-Pop setting to match. A tremendous effort, this is melodic and energetic, with some great singing to it. Very catchy and listenable, this is different. There is a key change at the end, which makes it sound a lot like a Disco track. Excellent though, and a nice listen from start to finish.

Forever begins with some softly spoken Korean, before going into another emotional ballad with some really lovely singing. It’s quite touching, but is a great song that although is sung in Korean, sounds very beautiful and nicely constructed. Very melodramatic, it is for those who speak fluent Korean and for those who also love the best of K-Pop. A great piece, this is very wonderful. The strings here are really quite nice, and the whole piece is wonderful and beautiful all the way through. Very nice to hear, a great piece of music. Great and a fine musical moment, a fine musical moment.

Next is Be Happy which begins with a more electronic based piece with some English singing and has a more EDM feel about it. This is a wonderful effort, with many beats, textures and excellent singing on it. Even in retrospect, this is great to hear, although some may dismiss this effort as throwaway. It’s not, it is very interesting and concise listening. Another fresh and funky listen from Girls’ Generation, this is a K-Pop adaptation of the original Don’t Worry, Be Happy song. Very, very good. Refreshing to hear.

Following is Boys & Girls which is a more commercial sounding song, but sounds dirty sonically and has some great beats for these K-Pop legends to shine over. Another really good tune that actually doesn’t sound at all dated today, this is really excellent listen with many layers of sound and a great level of singing from Girls’ Generation. This is super cool and excellent listening from the group, very catchy and lovable. A very anthemic piece of music, this is classic K-Pop. Great to hear. Deserves repeat listens.

Talk To Me begins unusually with harmonica and a processed acoustic guitar sound, before going into a rather unusual ballad of sorts with some interesting instrumentation to match. An excellent and listenable piece of music, this is definitely different. It’s a ballad, but like much of the album, is actually quite good and impressive to listen to. There is a harmonica solo here, along with the other instrumentation, which is different. A great Korean song, although there are touches of English here and there. A very relaxing and different listen.

Star Star Star begins with some piano and cello that is very pretty, and quite melodramatic. Before long, singing kicks in which is quite touching. A very good listening experience, this is quite a moving and touching piece of music, even if you don’t understand a word of Korean. An excellent tune, this is really classy. It’s a K-Pop ballad, but done so wonderfully that one is taken away by it. Lovely music, and extremely beautiful. It is sung very beautifully, and is a very moving piece of music. Great effort, the ending is gorgeous.

Up next is Stick Wit U which begins with organ and breakbeats, before going into a very cheesy piece of K-Pop that is energetic and fun listening. A fun listen, but musically very colourful and upbeat. It is a very catchy piece of music, and no doubt danceable for many fans out there. A lively and interesting piece of music, definitely different in a good way. A surprisingly good piece of music, this is fun.

Following is Day By Day which is another ballad, led by piano and some classical instrumentation here. It launches into a flamenco inspired piece that sounds really interesting and touching simultaneously. This is really fine music, and although some in the West may not be fond of K-Pop, these songs are really excellent and amazing. Much like a Wall-Of-Sound, there are many layers of instrumentation on this song and the rest of the record. Lovely to hear, and a great listen, this is different for many out there. A top listening experience for K-Pop, beautiful and pretty.

Gee was one of the group’s biggest hits. It begins with stardust and some other strange sonic melodies, before Girls’ Generation get going. It is super cheesy this song, and rather humourous in that respect. Still, this is musical history, and sounds really interesting and decent. Not bad for a K-Pop group of several talented ladies who had the world before them. Very catchy, wonderful and electronic based listening. Great effort here, and some great singing and instrumentation is here. It ends with a bang.

Genie is the last track here, another hit single. It begins with footsteps, Korean chatter and a voice insisting that one turn this song up, before going into a strange K-Pop EDM tune that is actually very catchy and awesome. A great tune with combined singing from the girls, this is a fine listen with many different textures and a great melodic sensibility about it. A great and catchy listen, this is K-Pop in all its glory. There is a false ending, before the girls request for the DJ to put the song back on. Top tunes here, and a great way to end this album, it ends with some improvised solo singing.

This is a surprisingly good album and listen, oddly enough, no dull or out of place moments are here, with a great musical electronic Wall-Of-Sound feel about it. If there is a flaw to this music at all, it is obviously marketed and sold to an overly mainstream audience, thus losing some of its longevity and quality as a result. Still, it is very, very good and these girls deserve credit where they can get it for this album.

Sweet and seductive.

8/10